Jax's Reef - The Way it Should Have Been

So I've been trying to decide these last couple of months whether or not to breed clowns.  If I decide not to, there are still some upgrades I'd like to do to the display tank...

Perhaps it's that I'm inexperienced in a majority of aquarium equipment.  And then again perhaps I know precisely what I'm looking at when shopping for equipment and stuff is just really that expensive.

So if I decide to breed the clowns, I'm looking at an initial investment of about $1,000.  Granted, about half of that is equipment I would want regardless of breeding or not - like a RO/DI unit ($300), refractometer ($60), return pump ($100) for a sump installation (either breeding or on the current display tank).  So these are the common items.

If I decide to breed, I'll also require a couple of HOB overflow boxes ($120); microalgae, brine shrimp and rotifer cultures from Florida Aqua Farms ($175), larvae catcher ($100), breeding jugs for the food, air pump ($75), misc plumbing, lights, timers, etc.

If I decide to install a sump, I'll still need one HOB overflow box ($60), misc plumbing parts, light, timer, etc.

Breeding will require an unknown amount of daily time, probably at least a half hour or so.  I really don't think I want to spend money and time on something additional.  Perhaps when/if I retire and need a hobby.  But I currently have plenty to keep my hands full.

I've been back and forth for the last couple weeks.  But today is the day I put my foot down and decide.

I think I've decided NOT to breed, but to make the display tank as it should have been initially - with a sump for convenient nutrient export, housing equipment, and water polishing.

Installing a sump will be no simple or quick task, and while I'm "in there" there are a couple other things I'd like to get done:

• Remove the display tank so that the sump can be dropped into the cabinet from the top.  This will make installing the sump tank easier than going in from the back and removing the rear vertical support.
• Level the stand.
• Removing the remainder of the substrate from the display tank

More plans and thoughts on the matter will follow.

A Slight Juggling Act

So I have a couple things going on salt-water-wise:

Due to the availability of nutrients in the tank for algae (nitrates and phosphates) I've begun removing substrate from the tank.  During my last water change of about 25 gallons, about 4 gallons of substrate was removed.

I decided to remove the substrate for a couple of reasons.  Substrate is (at least partially) the cause for my phosphate levels (feeding is another).  I do not wish to change my feeding habits, so in order to make the single most possible impact with just a single action, substrate removal is my plan.  It's the biggest bang for my buck toward getting nutrients under better control.

Removing substrate will also help with nitrates in an indirect way.  There will be little if any hidden detritus to decay (contributing to both nitrates and phosphates).  This will assist with husbandry, and subsequently will assist in keeping those nutrients in better check.

It's also almost time to begin acquiring breeding equipment.  That will probably take at least a couple of weeks to acquire.  Maybe my goal of grabbing a July clutch is slightly unrealistic...  but definitely an August clutch is possible.

June Update

Nothing much going on in June except planning and shopping for breeding supplies.

Water changes have still continued (roughly) once a week.

Cyano is still a problem, but not until about day 7 after the last water change.

It's been a while since posting any pics.  I'll get some up today or tomorrow.

About five mushrooms have removed themselves from the main colony in total.

Green Star Polyps have started to spread.  I'll get some close-ups of this.

Anthelia is also spreading.  Photo evidence also on the way.

I'm also planning on getting at least one benthic sump running - I think mostly for the breeding setup.  I hesitate to get one put on my display tank simply because "things happen".  Who knows how long (or prolific) the breeding will be.  I may already be a day late and a dollar short when it comes to selling the fish to local stores.  But that's not my primary focus, so I've yet to inquire.  If nothing else, there's always Ebay and Craigs list.  That puts me in competition with the LFS's, and I'd rather be a partner.

But anyway, if I get a sump for the breeding tanks and things fall through, plumbing the sump to the display tank is "plan b".

Also, I'm toying with the idea of removing the substrate from the tank.  Not all at once, but over the course of months as I do water changes.  I doubt I'll like the look, but it takes 15 gallons for me to properly siphon.  If I don't like the look, I can always paint the outside bottom white.  My only concern is shifting the anemone bowl and causing damage to the anemone's foot.  I may do the perimeter of the bowl in baby-steps so the anemone has time to adjust itself.

That's it for now.

Breeding Preparation - Clownfish Larvae

The following post is simply a place for me to get thoughts into the physical world and to compile information found from multiple places into one.  This post is a work in progress.

Items Needed:

• Larval Snagger
• Brine Shrimp (starting day 5)
• Rotifers (starting day 1)
• Phytoplankton feeding the rotifers & brine until they are eaten by larvae
• Ammonia Alert Badge
• iodine

Equipment needed:

• 5 Gallon Tank
• Rigid airline tubing to act as siphon to clean
• Heater w/ bubbles for circulation
• Air Pump
• Light
• Timer

Environmental requirements:

• Salinity - 1.020
• Water temperature - 80-84*F
• Lighting - same as parents
• Water Change - 1-2 times per day to keep ammonia < 3ppm
• Siphon - daily
• Dosing - iodine (1 drop per gallon per day after metamorphosis)

Breeding Preparation - Brine Shrimp

The following post is simply a place for me to get thoughts into the physical world and to compile information found from multiple places into one.  This post is a work in progress.

Items Needed:

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Equipment needed:

• 5 gal bucket or water jug
• Air Pump
• 1/4" tubing for air with valve
• 1/4" tubing for drain with valve
• 1/2" or 3/4" tubing for feeding with valve
• 1/2" or 3/4" tubing for dispensing brine with valve
• heater
• thermometer

Environmental requirements:

• Salinity - 1.020
• Water temperature - 80*F
• Lighting - ambient (direct light attracts them making them less likely to breed)
• Water Changes - weekly 25%

Thoughts:

The jug will be of similar design as the phytoplankton.  Tubing will vary depending on the behavior of the contents.  Hatched eggs float.  Unhatched eggs sink to bottom.  Brine tend to congregate at surface, too.

Breeding Preparation - Rotifers

The following post is simply a place for me to get thoughts into the physical world and to compile information found from multiple places into one.  This post is a work in progress.

Items Needed:

• 53 micron screen

Equipment needed:

• 5 gal bucket or water jug
• Air Pump
• Air Stone
• 1/4" tubing for air with valve
• 1/4" tubing for drain with valve
• 1/2" or 3/4" tubing for feeding with valve
• 1/2" or 3/4" tubing for dispensing rotifers with valve

Environmental requirements:

• Salinity - 1.020
• Water temperature -
• Lighting - 12 hours, preferable ambient
• Water Changes - once a week, 50%

Thoughts:

The jug will be of similar design as the phytoplankton:  

• An airline tube inserted into the bottom
• A "cleaining" tube also inserted into the bottom for draining any gunk that collects on the bottom
• A dispensing tube inserted about a fourth of the way up the jug.  For dispensing rotifers.
• A feeding tube inserted toward the top of the jug.  For adding ASW or phytoplankton.  Will also serve as a vent.

Since rotifers live in the water column they can be pulled from the jug with a tube located below water level.

By having valves on each of the tubes, rotifers can be dispensed to containers at equal or greater height than the jug.  By closing all valves except air and dispensing valves, air pressure could be used to transport rotifer water where ever it needs to go.

Breeding Preparation - Clownfish (post-metamorphosis)

The following post is simply a place for me to get thoughts into the physical world and to compile information found from multiple places into one.  This post is a work in progress.

Items Needed:

• Toys (PVC joints, anemone look-alikes)

Equipment needed:

• 10 Gallon Tank
• Rigid airline tubing to act as siphon to clean
• Heater
• Light
• Timer
• Powerfilter?

Environmental requirements:

• Salinity - 1.020
• Water temperature - 80*F
• Lighting - same as parents

Thoughts:

Would it be easier on the this and subsequent batches if this tank also became their grow-out tank?  Instead of moving fish based upon size into subsequently larger tanks, perhaps have post-metamorphosis tanks large enough to be their final tank.  So instead of using a 10 gallon tank, perhaps bump it up to 20 or 30 gallons...

Breeding Preparation - Phytoplankton (Nannochloropsis)

The following post is simply a place for me to get thoughts into the physical world and to compile information found from multiple places into one.  This post is a work in progress.

Items Needed:

• Miracle Grow Liquid Plant Food
• Phytoplankton starter culter

Equipment needed:

• 5 Gallon water jug w/ tight fitting cap
• Air Pump
• Tubing - 1/4" for air
• Tubing - 1/2" or 3/4" for dispensing and filling
• Valve for dispensing tube.
• Valve for filling tube (if not open-top)
• A stand to hold the 5 gallon jug inverted
• Heater
• Light
• Timer

Environmental requirements:

• Salinity - 1.019
• Water temperature - temperature tolerant, but will keep at or above 70*F
• Lighting - 16 hours on, 8 hours off

Thought Processes:

Phytoplankton will play a large role in breeding clownfish.  Phyto is the food for the food the larvae will consume.  It can be used to feed both rotifers and brine shrimp.

I don't want to mess with 2 liter bottles.  Instead I would prefer utilizing a 5 gallon water jug - whether or not the jug contains 5 gallons is another issue.  The jug will be inverted to utilize the shape of the container to allow for a minimization of dead spots.  Dead spots don't seem to be an issue with phytoplankton, but they are with rotifers and brine shrimp, and I plan on using similar designs across the board for all three.

I haven't yet decided if it's necessary to remove the bottom of the jug.  Vent holes will be necessary, as well as drain holes for tubing.  Water could be added via a tube located toward the top of the jug.  This same tube could server as a vent as well - at least when water is not being added.

The air tube would be inserted perhaps 1/4" into the lid and sealed with silicone adhesive.  This tube would be run up to the air pump located physically above the jug.  A valve would need to be installed on this line to control the amount of aeration the phytoplankton receives.

If possible, a drain tube (1/2" or 3/4") would also be inserted similarly into the lid to allow for distribution of the phytoplankton to other containers - rotifer breeder, brine breeder, storage jugs, etc.  This tube could also be used to drain the jug completely if necessary.  It, too, would need a valve and installed as close to the lid as possible.

The third tube, a filling tube, would be installed at the top 1/3rd of the jug.  It would be used to replenish ASW as needed and would also require a valve, however this valve would almost always be open.  However, with an open top, this tube would be unnecessary and would also allow for cleaning of the jug.  A design decision still needs to be made here.  If the jug was completely sealed, air pressure alone should be enough to be able to dispense phytoplankton to the rotifers and brine shrimp that will be located at the same level as the phytoplankton jug.  Those jugs will also have "feeding tubes" which would allow for ASW or phytoplankton to be dispensed into them.

The Clownfish Clutch Blooms

I did, indeed, check in with the Clowns tonight, about an hour and a half after "lights out".  I could tell just by their behavior it was not a typical night.

A typical night in the life of a Clownfish (at least in Jax's Reef) mostly entails sleeping within the anemone's tentacles.

Tonight, the Clowns were busy tending to their eggs.

I grabbed a video.  Very cool.  As the Clowns tend to their clutch (left), larvae can be seen swimming in the foreground (right).

I can't wait to get set up for the rearing of Clownfish larvae so that these precious lives do not go to waste.  Already, due to the running filtration and power heads, some dead larvae were witnessed even this early.

I'll see if I can get any videos in the morning.  The larvae are supposed to have a yolk sac that contains about 12 hours of energy reserves.  As long as some can avoid the filtration and power heads, I may be able to get some daylight shots before they become food.

Further Thoughts on Breeding

I was doing a little reading tonight on Clownfish - more specifically the various stages of their egg patch, or clutch.

Prior to tonight, I thought that when the clutch turned black that the clutch was no longer viable.  Generally in life, even in saltwater life, black is bad.  However with clutches that is not the case.

I noticed today that the clutch had started to gain a silvery appearance.  That, too, is a good sign.  It's also a sign that hatching is near.  Here's a snapshot I took tonight of the clutch:

It got me thinking again about breeding - nothing as grandiose as my prior plans have been.  Just a tank or two, some simple flow and/or filtration.

Off to do more research.  I think the bulk of my learning will be on what is required (monetarily and physically) to raise the food required to fuel the raising of the fish.

The eggs are supposed to hatch within a few hours of "lights out", which was about an hour ago.  I didn't bother turning off filtration or power heads since I'm in no way prepared to take care of the larvae.  But I think I'll go check on them periodically tonight to see if any larvae will greet my flashlight.